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I FELT my hackles rise when reading a letter of complaint in last week's Radio Times from a fan of jazz music, objecting to the lack of jazz on BBC radio.

A brief glance through the listings pages revealed a good seven hours of jazz across the corporation's various music channels, along with a good proportion included in mainstream Radio Two shows.

I don't begrudge the jazz fans their quota, but compare that to one single hour a week of folk music, plus an occasional smattering of world music on Radio Three, and you'll forgive me being somewhat underwhelmed by the way the Beeb is using my licence fee.

And don't get me started on why we had to suffer the drunken buffoonery of the Brit Awards earlier this week, when the Folk Awards don't even get a look in as far as TV is concerned.

All we get is a token half-hour of Transatlantic Sessions on BBC 4 on Friday, which barely scrapes the surface of what's actually on offer.

I know ours is a minority interest, but it's not an inferior one, and shouldn't be treated as such.

There's always the live music alternative of course, which this week includes Scots singer Robin Laing at Skelton's Duke William tonight, Hambones and Nick Brooker at Richmond's Swaledale Outdoor Club on Saturday, a choice of Tich Frier at Guisborough Rugby Club and the reformed Irish stars Clannad at Gateshead's Sage on Sunday, Barrie and Ingrid Temple at Newcastle's Bridge on Monday, and Keith Morrison at Croxdale's Daleside Arms on Tuesday.

My Bad Pennies and I are at Gateshead's Caedmon Hall on Friday and at Cramlington's Hind on Tuesday. We'll be recording a live album, so come along and make your presence felt.

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